アメリカのビバリーヒルズで開催されたオークションで11月16日、モーセの十戒の全文が刻まれた世界最古と言われる石板が85万ドル（約9340万円）で落札された。
ローマ帝国、またはビザンチン帝国時代後期（紀元300～830年）に作製されたとみられる大理石製の石板は、重さ115ポンド（約52kg）で、くっきりとしたサマリア文字(古典ヘブライ語方言の文字)が20行にわたって刻まれている。出品したヘリテージ・オークションズによると、石板は古代のシナゴーグ（ユダヤ教礼拝所）の入口に設置されていたが、紀元400～600年にローマ人に破壊されたか、11世紀に十字軍に破壊されたという。
この競売会社によると、石板の中央部分に摩耗した部分があり、おそらく踏まれたことが原因とみられる。
専門家は、1913年にイスラエルの都市ヤブネ近郊の鉄道工事でこの石板が見つかったとき、発見した人々はその価値を知らなかったのではないかと考えている。彼らは石板を人にあげるか売るかして、所有者となった人物は文字が刻まれている面を上にして、部屋の敷居に使っていた。
世界最古と見られる十戒が刻まれた石板の写真（ヘリテージ・オークションズ提供）
石板は1940年代初期に販売され、価値を評価され、十戒の全文が刻まれた世界最古の貴重な遺物として広く知られるようになった。
2005年までに、イスラエル考古学庁（IAA）はアメリカのリヴィング・トーラー博物館に石板の輸出を承認し、この博物館がIAAの許可を得てオークションに出品した。
新しい所有者は身元が明かされなかったが、公共の利益のために展示する義務がある。競売は30万ドル（約3300万円）からスタートした。
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